


What's Already Lost

by PlushieLordLexi



Series: The Faith in Flight Ficlet Collection [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family Drama, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 12:28:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1858074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlushieLordLexi/pseuds/PlushieLordLexi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written in 2013. A man who knows how terrible he is as a father still worries about his daughter. However, she will have nothing of it. Part of the ficlet collection for my main original universe, The Faith in Flight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's Already Lost

Maxwell Crawford never expected any of his children to tell him about their lives--it would be a selfish thing to expect, with how much effort he put into shoving them out of his. However, when he saw Tori laughing with a familiar face before giving him a kiss goodbye, he felt his heart sink.

Jeb Parmalee, Tori's longtime friend from a family who had accepted both her and her sisters with loving arms, something Maxwell had long since vowed that he would never do. The boy had always been by Tori's side when she needed comfort--Maxwell appreciated it.

But Jeb reminded Maxwell of the love he'd already lost. Not that Jeb being close to Maria while she was still alive had been any kind of secret, but as he had grown, Maxwell felt like the boy had now gained many of the traits that had drawn him to Maria.

The same traits that had caused Maxwell to lose Maria. The Crawford family had always been a dangerous one. With his eldest daughter no longer accepted as the heir to the family's legacy, Tori was the one who filled that slate. Maxwell had no doubt that his parents would sabotage Tori's relationship with Jeb as they had with his own with Maria.

As much as he would have liked to avoid it, it was time to have a talk with Tori. She wasn't aware that he was home yet, so he decided to approach it carefully. He requested her company for tea that evening, and after what felt like eternity of tense, idle smalltalk, he finally decided to get to the point.

"Victoria," he started slowly, "I meant to ask you earlier, but how has your school life been going? Has it been treating you well?"

He watched Tori glance to the side, her eyes--eyes that were so close to the color Maria's had been--narrowing slightly.

"Things have been going fine," her response was terse. "So what's with you? You usually don't ask such personal questions."

Maxwell sighed quietly, taking a sip of his tea.

"I saw you with John earlier--"

"-- _Jeb_ ," Tori corrected, "You can pull that formal shit with me, but don't do it with--"

"--all right." Another sigh. "I saw you with Jeb earlier, then. How long have you two been in a relationship?"

"You were watching?!" with every exchange, Tori's voice was only filling with more irritation. She had tilted her head to the side at this point, as well. "You don't have any right."

For a while, Maxwell didn't answer. He simply observed his second eldest daughter, realizing how much she's growing up as he does. How her hair was longer, done in two braids in the back while the front cascades down in a slight wave. He began to think about when he'd brush her hair when it was much shorter, pulling it back for her. How, when he was done, she'd turn around and tell him how much she loved him. It was clear as day to Maxwell how much Tori was transitioning from a child to a young woman, somewhat elegant in her fifteen years of age. There were ways he could barely recognize her.

But wasn't that what he wanted? The distance that made it so he couldn't? 

"You should stop seeing him," Maxwell finally responded. It wasn't what he meant to say in the slightest, but he didn't show it. He couldn't afford to express that it was a slip up, not now.

The next thing he knew, Tori was slamming her hands down on the table. "Do you think I'm really going to listen to you?! Jeb makes me happy, he always has! He's always been there for me when things were rough! He's always had my back! He was there for me when Mom died, which is more than I can say for you!"

Those last words stung, but Maxwell had become the master of never showing how deeply these moments ripped into him. He had wanted to be there for her and Sera when Maria had passed, but he was the cause of Maria's death. Because he refused to leave her.

Because he had loved her.

"Calm down, Victoria," his words were almost mocking, giving the impression that he wasn't talking her seriously in the slightest.

But she didn't calm down, and he didn't truly expect her to. He knew that once she started, it only continued.

"I'm not going to leave Jeb, especially if it's because it's something you want!" her voice was almost hysterical, and Maxwell could tell she was holding back tears--why would she want to show "weakness" in front of him, after all? "You asshole. Why should I leave someone who makes me so happy? Who has been my friend through everything? Who _loves me?!_ "

"Victoria, I'm only looking out for your well being--" 

More unplanned words. But it was true, wasn't it? He didn't want his parents--her grandparents--robbing her of happiness, even if it meant she wouldn't have happiness at all. He watched her daughter shake in rage at those words. A few moments passed, then Tori began to laugh bitterly.

"Since when do you suddenly _care?_ " the question is nearly spat out. "About me, or about any of your children? Since when do you want to look out for any of us?! Since when do you care about _anyone but yourself?!_ "

Maxwell doesn't answer her, simply watching her. Anything he thought of saying would just ruin the facade he has had for nine years. He couldn't afford it. Instead, Tori continued throwing barbed words.

"Do you expect me to believe that you actually give a shit? Even if you really do, sorry to tell you: too little, too late. If you _really_ cared, you would have been there for all of us when we needed it in the past. You would have supported us when Mom died. I don't need your fake sympathy! I have friends now, I have a family--the thing you were supposed to provide!"

"Victoria--"

"Go to hell, _father_. This conversation's over." standing up, Tori made it halfway to the door before pausing and looking back at him. "Actually, one more thing. I must _congratulate_ you for noticing my relationship of _six months_. You must be _so_ proud of yourself."

Maxwell then watched her daughter storm out of the room. He didn't understand--why had he said so many things he didn't plan? How had he come so close to revealing the truth? Why had he even decided to try and come between Tori and the person she loved? Even if he had succeeded, what really would have been changed?

Maybe it didn't matter. It certainly didn't--couldn't--now, as she had left and he was alone in the room.

Alone, and that was how things were supposed to be.


End file.
